Machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. VAN FLEET. BARBING MACHINE.

No. 248,264. Patented Oct. 11,1881.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. VAN FLEET BARBING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 11;188l.

N. PEYERi Phulu-Lillwgmpher, Washington. D. C.

4.-Sheets-.-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A. VAN FLEET.

BARBING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 11,1881}- m )6 v Ug wwwwz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ALFRED VAN FLEET, oF JOLIlElT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMsELF ANDANDREW H. SHREFFLER, F s ME PLACE.

- BARYBING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,264, dated October11, 1881.

' Application filed July 8,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED VAN FLEET, of the city of Joliet, in Willcounty, and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements inMachines for Barbing Wire for Fences, the construction and operation ofwhich I will proceed to explain, reference being had to the annexeddrawings and the letters and figures thereon, in which- Figure 1 is aplan view; Fig. 2, a side elevation with a portion cut away; Fig. 3, avertical sectional view on the line 10, Fig. 1, looking toward the upperend of the machine; Fig. 4, a plan view on the top of the verticalsliding head L Fig. 5, a longitudinal sectional view of thebarb-twister; Fig. 6, a front elevation of the screw-gear to drive thebarbtwister intermittently; Fig. 7, a perspective View of a finishedb'arb on the fence-wires, be-

ing the product of the machine, the arrow showing the direction it Wentthrough the machine; and Fig.8, a side elevation of one of the feeds forfeeding the barbing-wire into the machine.

This invention relates to that class of machines commonly calledbarbing-ma'chines, for forming barbs-on fence-wire for fencing purposes,and is of that class that forms the barbs of two pieces of wire fedsimultaneously in between two strands of fence-wire, and the two endstwisted around the two strands of fencewire to hold them on, and thencut loose from the remainder of the barbing-wire diagonally, leavingfour sharp points to the finished barb, as shown in Fig. 7. r

In the drawingsAis the bed-frame, on which the frame A of the machine issupported by the legs F, bolted firmly down on the bed plate or frame.The frame A bears that portion of the machinery that places the barbs onthe fence-wires a, and the lower end of the bed frame A, Fig. 1,supports the twister to twist the two strands a of the fence-wiretogether after the barb is formed on it, and the reel to wind upthefinished barbed wire.

The general construction of the machine is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thepower to propel the machine is derived from a belt on the pulley B onthe shaft c About central on the :shaft a is located the pinion a, whichdrives the main cog-wheel S on the shaft 0. The shaft 0 also bears aboutcentral on it the large partially-toothedscrew-wheel (Shownmoreparticularly in Figs. 2 and'6.) The Wheel y is for the purpose ofrotating the screw-geared wheel S immediately above it in anintermittent rotary manner. The periphery of the wheel'y is plain andwithout cogs or teeth, except to the number of twelve, which are set inthe diagonal manner across its periphery, as shown in Fig. 6, tocorrespond with the teeth similarly arranged on the periphery of thewheel S to the number of eight, as shown in said figure. When the wheel3 revolves once the wheel S is revolved one and one-half time around tocause the twister to twist the barbs that number of times around thefence-wires a. The wheel S has the two slots 1 across its peripheryexactly opposite each other, as shown in Fig. 6, into which the plainportion of the periphery of the wheel 3 travels after the cogs on ithave passed the wheel S, and until its rotation causes the cogs to againengage with the screw-wheel S, when it revolves the screwwheel S one andone-half time around, as before stated, so that while the wheel yrotates continuously the wheel S only rotates intermittently,for thepurpose hereinafter described.

The screw-wheel S is firmly keyed to the hollow shaft 0, which itrotates in the boxing w and a at either end. The hollow-shaft c isprovided with and is sleeved onto the hollow stationary rod or barrelto, which is'held stationary by the boxing a at its rear end, while theother end projects through a little beyond the hollow shaft 0, throughwhich it passes, terminating with a diameter about equal to that of thehollow shaft 0, to give it strength and greater face for the barbs torest against as they are twisted about the strands a, as it is just atthis point that the twisting of the barbs about the strands of wire a isdone. The inner end of the stationary hollow shaft w is closed by theguide-plug 20 held in-place by the setscrew 0 through which guide-plug ware two holes to permit the two wires'c to pass, as is shown in Figs. 2and 6, one immediately above the other, and far enough apart to permitthe barbing-wire c to pass between them and cross each other, as shownin Fig. 4. The inner end of the revolving hollow shaft 0 is providedwith two lugs, w, forming an elbow over the end of the stationary shaftto, and exactly opposite each other, and which as they revolve with theshaft 0, to which they are attached, catch the two ends of thebarb-wires c forming the barb, and bend them onceand one-halftime aroundthe two strands a of the fence-wire, as the screw-wheel S is rotatedthat many times each barb is formed, and at each such revolution a barbis formed on the wires a.

The fence-wires a pass into the machine off the reels B, and the wires 0for forming the barbs pass into the machine from each sidesimultaneously off the reels B Fig. 1.

g is a guide to conduct the fence-wires a straight into the rear end ofthe hollow rod or barrel w on its way through the machine, and itsgeneral course is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The verticalsliding head L (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) carries a set of verticalcutting-dies, d 61 held in proper position by the face-plate T, andreceives its vertical reciprocatingmotion from the lever L, operated bythe cam Ton the shaft 0. Thelever L passes through the sliding head L tocarry it, as is shownin Fig. 3, and has its end engaging with the cam 7,provided with the friction-roller 8 to roll on the cam 7 to cause lessfriction. The lip 9 above the cam 7 is for the purpose of bringing downthat end of the lever L to make it prompt in its action.

The upper cutting-dies, d d, are arranged in the bridge 1), immediatelyabove the lower cutting-dies,d d ,in such manner asto form shears to cutthe barbing-wire c 011' diagonally at the proper time after it has beenformed about the strands a, as aforesaid, and are held in place by theface-plate D and regulated up or down by the set-screws d.

The barbing-wires c are fed into the machine intermittently andsimultaneously from eitherside of the machine off the reels B Figs. 1and 3 show the barbing-wires c passing off the reels B along over thereciprocating plates r, through a throat in the guide-postm, between itand the turned-up back of the plate 1' and the dog 1, which permits itto slide forward, but not backward, on into'the machine through thethroat under the plates ff on the upper end of the sliding head L asshown in Fig. 4, until they passand cross each other, as shown in saidFig. 4, between the strands ofthe wire a. Fig. 4 shows the position ofthe two harbingwires 0" as they are when ready to have theirouter endscaught by the revolving twisters w and twisted around the strands, asbefore stated.

The barbing-wire c is out 01f diagonally between the ends of the dies atand d just at the point where they emerge from the throat under theplates f. These plates f hold the barbing-wire firmly in the throatunder them, so the dies can cut the wires oifjust at that point. 4) oare set-screws for the purpose of holding the plates f just at the rightplace for that purpose. When the barbing-wire is so cut off and the barbfinished and the barb is'about to be removed bythefencewiresabeingpulled along through the machine to theplace it is desired toplace on another barb, it is necessary to disengage the twisters w fromthe barb by turning them backward atrifle. This is accomplished by thecurve 1 on the periphery of the wheel 1 (Shown in Fig. 6.) When thecurve 1 passes through the slot Z in the wheel S it causes the wheel Sto turn backward just a trifle to disengage the twisters w from thebarb, so it can pass out, as stated.

For the purpose of giving the reciprocating motion to the feed-plates r,they are arranged to slide on the rod 2, Fig. 3, underneath them,through the lugs z, attached to their lower surface. The rods 2 arehinged at their inner ends to the surface of the reciprocating head Land take its motion up and down, while their outer ends are free. Theouter end of the plates r attach to the upper end of the upright leversm and m, respectively, as is shown in Fig. These levers w" and 00receive their reciprocating motion from the double cam 0 and c ,Fig. 3,at the side of the machine, which cam, as it rotates, operates thelevers w and 0: simultaneously to and from each other from side to sideof the machine, thus feeding the barbing-wirc 0 into the machine fromboth sides at the same time and in the same manner. The coil-spring Sserves to bring the feed back before the wire is cut, and the cams e anda roll out of the way.

In order to dispense with a cam at each side of the machine, the lever cis used to connect the cam with the lever on the opposite side of themachine, as shown in Fig. 3. As the feeds at either side of the machineare exactly alike, only one is lettered, and the description for oneanswers for both.

The cams c and e are arranged opposite to each other on the shaft B, asshown in Fig. 1. As the shaft 13 rotates it causes the cam e to rollagainst the upright lever 00 and throw its upper end forward, as shownby the dotted lines in Fig. 8, to carry the feed-plate r, to which it ispivoted at m, forward, and is returned by means of the coil-spring 8*,connecting the feed-plate r to the side of the main frame A, as shown inFig.3. The opposite upright lever, x is operated in precisely the samemanner by means of the cross-lever c and its boxing inclosing the cam e.The cams a and 0 being opposite to each other, reciprocate the upperends of the two levers w and w to and from each other simultaneously tofeed the barb-wire from both sides of the machine at the same instant.These upright levers w and .70 are pivoted at their lower ends at m tothe foot of the main frameAto permit such reciprocation.

When the wires a pass through the machine it is necessary that the partof the said wire where the barb is to be placed on should remainstationary for an instant until the barbtwister to can twist them aroundthe wires 0., as stated, and until the dies d and d can cut off thebarbing-wire to separate it from the finished barb. To accomplish thisthe machine cillating sprocket-wheel R receives it rocking oroscillating motion by means of the slotted crank on the outer'end oftheshaft D being connected with the crank e on the outer end of the shaftby the pitman 0 It will be readily seen that as the shaft 0 rotates itwill give the crank c an oscillating motion, as it is somewhat longerthan the crank 0 thus causing the sprocket-wheel R, over which thebarbed wires a pass, to move forward toward the barbing central partofthe machine, asin- 'dicated by the dotted lines in Fig.2, just at thetime the barb-twister puts the barb'on the wires a, as before stated,causing a slack between the barb-twister and thelowersprocketwheel, R,in the wires a. This permits the wires at toremain stationary at thebarb-twister just as long as the sprocket-wheelltis moving toward thebarb-twister, as shown by the dotted lines, andjustlongenough to permitthe twister w to twist the barb on the wire. That being accomplished,the reciprocating sliding head L is elevated by the lever L, and causesthe dies 61 to cut off the barbing-wire 0 as before stated, while thecranks c c and pitman c oscillate the sprocket-wheel R backward to theposition shown in Fig. 2, far enough to have pulled the wire it along tothe place it is desired to put on another barb, and so on until thewhole length of the wire is provided with barbs. It will be seen that bythis arrangement the barbingpart of the machine does not travel with thewire a as the barb is being placed on it, as is the case with most, ifnot all, other similar machines, thus saving an immense amount of wearand tear to the machinery by dispensing with the movement of theheaviest part of the machine back and forth to barb the wire.

'Thedistance between the barbsis determined by regulating thereciprocation of the sprocketwheel B. This is accomplished by means ofthe slotj in the crank 0 As the wrist of the pi'tman is set in or outalongin the slotjthe reciprocation of the sprocket-wheel R will begreater or less, causing it to draw the wires a through a greater orless distance, as desired.

The length of the barb is regulated by means of the set-screw 0 at therear of the reciprocatingfeed-plate 1". (Shown in Fig.1.) By means ofturning it in or outthe feed is reciprocated as much orlittle asdesired, to feed in as much or little barbing-wire c as is desired tomake the barbs any length. Sometimes the barbs, after they are placed onthe wires (1, will not stand with their points at right angles with thewires a, but will point in all directions. To regulate this defect thebarb-straightener P is used. (Shown at Figs. 1 and 2, but more clearlyin Fig. 2.) This barb straightener 1? consists of an elbow, pivoted at hto the standard h, and connected at its upper end by the pitman P to thecrank l) on the-shaft D from which it receives its oscillating motion.(indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.) The lower end of the bulbstraightener P terminates in a crotch, b, which, when down, as 5 shownin Fig. 2, strides the wire just in front of a barb as it leaves thebarb-twister, andv against which the barb strikes as it reaches it, asshown in Fig. 1, so as to-straighten up the points, as stated. The partsare so adjusted that just as the barb has been forced against the crotchb, and has been straightened up to bring its points at right angles withthe wires a, as near as may be, the straightener rises up to let it passon, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, being assisted to rise bythe coilspring t. The set-nuts v on the pitman P regulate the stroke ofthe straightener P. Having received its barbs, the fence-wires a pass oninto the twister to be twisted together and reeled upon the spool E onthe shaft E.

As I make no claim to that portion of this machine commonly called thetwister, I do not deem it necessary to describe it.

Having thus described my invention, what I 5 claim as new. and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the combination and arrangementof the wheel 3 having a plain untoothed portion, wheel S, hav- ICC ingthe slots l, hollow shaft 0, hollow stationary shaft w, guide-plug 20and barb-twister to, with the frame A, all arranged to operate in themanner and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the

combination and arrangement of the stationary shaft to, guide-plug wtwister to, vertical slirL ing head L lever L, ca'm 7, cutting-dies dand d set-screws 01, wheels 4 and. S, and cogwheels S and a, allarranged to operate in the no manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the

barb-feed described, consisting of the reciprocat-ing plate 4*, rod z,hinged to the vertical sliding head L guide as, lugs 2 dog-spring Tcoil-sprin g S", dog r, set-screw 0, lever e, levers m and x and cams eand e said feed arranged to travel up and down with the sliding head Lby being hinged thereto, as set forth.

4. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the

combination and arrangement, with the feed mechanism, of the levers xand x and e, cams e and e", and counter-shaft B to operate the feedsdescribed from either side of the machine in the same directionsimultaneously with each, [25

by means of the cranks and c and pitman 0 1 0 to slackcn the wires (1-,so they will remain stationary at the point the barb is being placed onuntil the barb is placed on the wires (1, and then draw the wires aforward intermittently through the barb-twisters, and permitting thewires on to reel on the spool E continuously, as set forth.

6. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the barb-straightener P,arranged to oscillate from the standard h at the hinge h by means of thecrank D, spring;- t,and pitman P, so its forked end I) will stridethewires (1. against the barbs, to straighten them up, in the manner setforth.

7. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the combination and arrangementof the frame A, shafts a", c, D", and D pinion a, cog-wheel S,screw-gear wheels 3 and S, hollow shaft 0, barb-twisters w, hollowstationary shaft 10, cranks c c and D, pitmen c and P, cam 7, lever L,vertical sliding head L cutting-dies (1 and d oscillating sprocket-wheelR, and barb-straightener P, all arranged to operate in 20 the manner setforth.

8. In a machine for barbing fence-wire, the frame A, shafts a 0, D and Dpinion a, cogwheel S, screw-gear wheels y and S, hollow shaft 0,barb-twisters w, hollow stationary shaft w, cranks c c ,-and D, pitmen cand P, cam 7, lever L, vertical sliding head L cut: ting-dies d and (1oscillating sprocket wheel R, and barb-straightener P, in combinationwith the barb-twisting mechanism described, all arranged to operate inthe manner and for the purpose set forth.

ALFRED VAN FLEET.

\Vitnesses:

THOS. H. HUTOHINS, A. H. SHREFFLER.

